Sex+ Money: A National Search for Human Worth

If you have been keeping up with Steve and I for longer than like, a day, you have probably heard us talk about Sex + Money: A National Search for Human Worth at some point. We are always talking about Sex+ Money this, Sex+ Money that. This campaign to raise awareness about, and ultimately put an end to, child sex trafficking in the United States of America is very dear to our hearts. A team of our friends and fellow photogenXers have been working on a full length documentary for the past few years and are now in the middle of a 50 state tour to screen the film.

Please, take an hour and a half out of your day to engage with this very important issue. Below is the information for the New York and New Jersey screenings that are taking place in the next few days. Visit the tour page to find out when the film is screening in a city near you, or if you have missed the screening you can purchase the DVD (and other merchandise-proceeds of which go toward rescuing child sex slaves).

New York:

August 21st 6:00pm (Faith Based)

Church at the Gateway

200 Boscombe Avenue

Staten Island, NY 10309

August 22nd 6:30pm (Public)

Times Sq. Art Center

303 W. 42nd St.

New York, NY 10036

Tickets are $10 if purchased online in advance (http://events.sctnow.org/sexandmoney) or $12 at the door.

New Jersey:

August 23rd 6:30pm (Faith Based)

Grace Christian Church

1961 Wayside Rd

Tinton Falls, NJ 07724

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You Changed it All

My niece, Donna, is a beautiful, talented, raw soul. Listen to her song, "You Changed It All" and check out her band One Flew Over

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Community Transformations- Meet the Staff: Miriam!

Meet the Staff: Miriam Steiner from Community Transformations on Vimeo.

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Community Transformations- Meet the Staff: Breno!

Meet the Staff: Breno Duarte from Community Transformations on Vimeo.


Interested in joining us this fall for the Community Transformations Discipleship Training School? We'd love to have you! Get the scoop here.

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Thanks for the clicks!

You voted and More than Me won the 2011 Global Giving Photo Contest! The prize money that they receive will put a former child prostitute in Liberia in primary school for 4 years and all it took was a simple click. Thank you so much for your part in this! Keep up to date with what More than Me is doing in Liberia on their blog. Here is a little "Thank You" video from Katie and her More than Me friends in Monrovia, Liberia.

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Vote for Change!

My friend Katie founded an organization in Liberia called More Than Me to provide primary education for children.  Last year, More Than Me won the Global Giving Photo Facebook contest. The money from the contest will be used to put a young girl  in school with everything she needs for 4 years! This year if they win, we will use the money towards housing, feeding, and sending 6 rescued child prostitutes to school. You can get directly involved with this contest! Help by liking the “Believe in Me” photo! You only have to vote one time. The contest ends on the 17th of August!

Here is how to vote:
1. Go to Global Giving’s Facebook Page and Like it: http://www.facebook.com/GlobalGiving
2. Next, click on this link, find the “Believe in Me” photo, and hit Like. Make sure you're in the "Give Knowledge" category.
3. Please help us by sharing this on your wall, it would mean the world to Agnes and her friends:
20 seconds of your time could help former child prostitutes go to school for the first time. The More than Me Foundation needs you to get girls off the street and into school!

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Community Transformations- Meet the Staff: Kristina!

Meet the Staff: Kristina Villalba from Community Transformations on Vimeo.

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Community Transformations- Meet the Staff: Jase!

Meet the Staff: Jase Beard from Community Transformations on Vimeo.

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Community Transformations- Meet the Staff: Cambria!

Meet the Staff: Cambria Finzel from Community Transformations on Vimeo.

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Community Transformations- Meet the Staff!

Community Transformations is a world wide ragtag community of Jesus followers who are dedicated to trying to walk out the simple gospel-to love God and love others. This fall Steve & I have the privilege of being part of the Community Transformations DTS as staff. So many of our friends are staffing this school with us and there really is nothing better than working alongside people that you love so much!

Meet Johnny & Jenni -some of our closest friends and the leaders of this school.

Meet John & Jenni (June 16th, 2011) from Community Transformations on Vimeo.

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nest.

For the first time ever Steve and I live in an apartment with rooms and walls that make sense. Since we didn't own any furniture we have had a lot of fun doing DIY projects and getting creative with how to make a space liveable without spending money. We moved into this space just in time for me to go into nesting mode. I was waiting to post these "before" and "after" photos until I actually finished the room but....I am not sure that is ever going to happen, so here we are. Maybe someday I will hang up the rest of the pictures/frames on the walls and get around to hanging up the curtains that I made, but not today. Now we just need a baby! Everything in this room was thrifted, gifted, made or found.

This room used to be a laundry room, so it has a utility sink in the corner and it's own entrance to outside. Convenient. The mobile hanging up on the door was a gift from our friend Emily...it is made with origami! I forgot to take a photo of the shelf/closet with baby's clothes on it that we repurposed (which was given to us by our friends Christian & Sharee)

I fell in love with this fabric and made pillow covers using MC's tutorial here. The fabric along the back end of the crib is actually curtains that I made but haven't hung up. Crib: gift!

Quilt handmade by Steve's mom from fabrics that Steve & his siblings had as a kid!

"Ludlow" is a Sleepy King, a gift from Misie & Mick.

I loved this bamboo mobile but it's price was steep- then it went on sale on Gilt Groupe and someone got it for Baby as a gift!

This sweet little note came with a baby outfit that we got, I thought it seemed fitting for our little one.

Michigan & New Jersey teething rings. Gifts from Kimi and Misie.

A sweet gift from Aunt Mary Catherine.

Baby photos of Steve & I are displayed on this handmade chalkboard. I forgot to get a photo of it, but it has a quote on it for Baby. Picture to come soon!

Sterling silver baby rattles that were mine when I was a baby | "Baby Schallert" mug- a sweet gift from dear friends Zach & Laura whose Dad is a potter and made this just for us! | Wooden Camera toy- another sweet gift from Kimi & Misie.

An incredibly creative "Quillow" made by Aunt MC. Check out the link for more photos of it and a link to the tutorial.

This vintage baby pushcart was a gift from my sweet friend Jo. The wheels are a bit rusted but I am sure this gem will be featured in a baby photoshoot very soon ; ) Books inside were gifts from my cousin, Christine. Vintage books were found.

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Whimsical Backyard Baby Shower

On Saturday my lovely friends spoiled me + baby with a lovely backyard baby shower. They put so much thought into every detail of the day and it made me feel so spoiled and special! Thanks to Joanna and Jenni for planning the day and thanks to Jannelle for taking photos!

Little Levi wore his party shirt.

Auntie Jo got Baby this amazing vintage pushcart.

Jenni writing Baby a card at the craft table.

Prayers for Baby.

Lovely friends.

Steve and I feel so incredibly blessed to have such a supportive family and community to welcome our little one into. 37 weeks pregnant today...come anytime Baby Girl.

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darling, you never should ever say never.

Isaac Gill is an amazing musician, activist and friend! Check out his song that plays at the end credits of the Sex+Money film. The documentary about child sex trafficking in the United States of America, is currently making it's way to all 50 states. Check out when it's screening in a town near you.

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extra, extra.

our summer newsletter esta aqui! thanks for reading and be sure to check our our new website. it's a work in progress.

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Week 31.

We planned to take these photos every week during this pregnancy, but between traveling, moving, getting back into the swing of things and getting ready to staff 2 schools (and have a baby) this Summer we got super BUSY. So, here we are, 6 weeks later and getting so anxious to welcome this little baby girl into our family.

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